PUBG, Alibaba, Xiaomi: India evaluating ban on 250 more Chinese apps

Following the ban of 56 Chinese application last month, the Indian government has banned 47 more Chinese apps in the country.

According to sources, the 47 banned apps were functioning as clones of earlier banned apps. The enumerations of the 47 Chinese apps will be released shortly.

India has now put together a list of more than 250 apps that will examine for any user privacy or national security violation, government source told. The applications that India has prepared a list of and are under the scanner of the government involves Alibaba, PUBG, Tencent, Xiaomi etc.

According to the government sources, India has drawn up a list of over 250 Chinese apps that are under scrutiny for any violation of national security and user privacy.

Some top gaming applications linked with China are also expected to be banned in the new list that is being made, sources said. The Chinese applications that have come under the scanner of the government include Alibaba, PUBG, Tencent, Xiaomi, ByteDance and others.

The Chinese applications, that are being looked into have allegedly been sharing data with the Chinese agencies.

This move comes after high-profile ban of 59 Chinese apps including TikTok as border tensions continued in eastern Ladakh after a fatal face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies. The government said that these apps were involved in activities that were prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and defence of India.

A government press release regarding the ban stated: "The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps since in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".

-ANI

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